


Falling is Like This

by TattooedNurse



Series: Love is Like Falling [1]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Multi, Not Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Compliant, Not Captain America: Civil War (Movie) Compliant, Reader-Insert, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, Soulmates words trope, reader insert if you squint, soulmates trope
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-04
Updated: 2019-04-11
Packaged: 2019-07-06 19:57:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15893049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TattooedNurse/pseuds/TattooedNurse
Summary: Hazel was comfortable with her job on Coulson’s team at SHIELD. She loved getting to work with her friends. When Coulson encouraged her to take a position at the new Avenger’s facility, she hesitated – she wasn’t a fan of change.  Now here she was in a new place surrounded by new people. Her best friend Jemma is hoping the change will help Hazel meet her soulmates. Hazel's just hoping she can work with Stark and Dr. Banner on new tech. Time to focus on work.





	1. Ch 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is the first chapter of my next MCU series. I had been playing around a bit with doing a soulmates fic, it’s one of my favorite tropes. I started this a few months ago, and it took a back seat to other fics. Now I’m hoping I can focus on it more. It’s a ‘named’ OFC fic, but is written in second person and I try to keep the descriptions mostly vague, so maybe reader insert if you squint? Either way, hope you enjoy.

You could feel Jemma’s eyes on you as you sorted through your boxes, trying to get your new apartment organized. You figured you should start here, then work on the office that was a few floors down. You were excited to have this much room to yourself, but it was bittersweet. You were happy for the change but working with S.H.I.E.L.D. had been the best time of your adult life. When Coulson heard that the new Avengers facility could use someone with your experience, well… he encouraged (read: pushed) you into going for it. And now here you were, trying to unpack boxes, set up your space, and spend a bit of time with one of your best friends before she had to leave. 

“Hazey-girl, you’ll be okay. I promise! No one likes change. Really. And I’ll visit all the time. Fitz, too,” Jemma said, coming to stand next to you and giving you a squeeze. “And you’ll have way more eye candy here,” she added in a conspiratorial whisper. 

You laughed, squeezing her back. “Yeah,” you rolled your eyes. “As if there wasn’t plenty of eye candy on the plane. More for me than you, I know, but still.”

“Yes, yes,” Jemma sighed. “But none for you to act on. Or none you wanted to act on.”

“And you think a new position will change my no workplace relationships rule?”

“Maybe someone will say…”

“Jemma, I love you. And I’m infinitely happy for you and Fitz. I would know that the two of you were meant to be even if you didn’t have each other’s words. But it doesn’t always work that way. My mom…”

“I know, Hazel. I know. But you have two…”

“Yes. Which, let me tell you, was not an easy thing growing up. It isn’t a common thing in general, two sets of words. But in small town Georgia? It’s not just weird, it’s ‘ungodly’,” you said, sighing. You loved Jemma’s optimism, really you did. But you tended to be more of a realist. And your words… well. Let’s just say your mom was not thrilled. Not one bit. Your dad was pissed. 

On your right collar bone, you had “Makes you want to what, exactly?” is small, even print. 

On your left collar bone, you had “I didn’t mean to frighten you.” in thick, blocky print. 

Not exactly the most comforting sentences. One was vaguely smutty, and the other was vaguely intimidating. There had been a couple situations that you had braced to hear them said, but it hadn’t happened. Maybe it never would. 

“Any ideas on what you want for lunch?” Jemma asked, bringing you out of your thoughts.

“Eh, kinda craving tacos. No idea what the cafeteria area has to offer, though,” you replied. “And I haven’t gotten my first order of food to stock the kitchen with yet,” you added, gesturing to the kitchen. “It did come with cookware and dishes though, so that’s something.”

The apartment was furnished, a bit plainer than you would’ve liked, but you could work with it. You were glad you didn’t have to shop for an entire apartment worth of stuff right off the bat. On the plane you had a room. A small one. And you tended to travel light. You didn’t have anything in storage like Jemma did. Just a few boxes that had been tucked away on the plane.

When your dad had passed your senior year of high school you and your mom had survived it. Barely. Your mom had tried to hide the pain of losing her soulmate. She tried to focus on you, tried to keep you focused on school. It worked, for a while. Then your mom passed. It was the anniversary of your dad’s death. You were in your junior year of college – having finished the first two years of college dual-enrolling in high school. It broke you a bit, losing your mom so soon after losing your dad.

You sold everything. The house, the furniture, everything. You kept photos, a few blankets, some jewelry, and your clothes. Everything else was sold. Between the profits of the sales, and the life insurance, you had more money than a sophomore in college who had just been orphaned – losing what little family she had left – should be in control of. It was a miracle you were able to maintain your grades, much less anything else.

But, instead of spending the money, you set up investments. You lived frugally, working part time to supplement your scholarships. And you made it through. A lot of that had to do with Jemma. You met in a chatroom for women at university majoring in science fields. She was a few years younger than you and working on two PhDs. Simply put she was a genius. You bonded quickly and would chat online almost daily. You didn’t meet in person until just before she left for S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy. You had been talking for just over a year at that point. You were graduating early, thanks to taking a minimum of 18 credit hours per semester. Although Jemma was only 17, she flew out to attend your graduation. She stayed a whole week and it only served to bring you closer. 

Jemma met Fitz at the academy, and she called you that night to dish about meeting her soulmate. She had tried multiple times to convince you to apply to the academy, but you were accepted into a MD/PhD program in biomedical engineering. Your advisor said you were crazy. Jemma said you would rock it. Jemma was right. By the time Jemma graduated from the academy (early, after only three years), you were already almost two-thirds of the way through your program – it was supposed to take six years. You finished in just under five. When you graduated Jemma encouraged you to join S.H.I.E.L.D. – but it wasn’t until Coulson assembled his team that you took her up on it. 

You and Jemma grabbed trays, and you glanced around the cafeteria. It was less than half full, but you weren’t surprised. It was late for breakfast, and early for lunch. One entire wall was windows showing the field and outdoor training area. You bet it would be a nice place to people watch. You settled yourselves at a table near the window. You were able to get a taco salad, while Jemma had a huge burrito. You and Jemma were in the habit of sharing your meals, so you had more variety. You set the bowl with half of your salad by her as she worked on cutting her burrito. Movement outside caught your eye and you turned. “Holy shit.”

“What?” Jemma asked, looking up and pushing your half of her burrito toward you.

You nodded to the window. “Eye candy,” you replied, your lips twitching. Captain America himself was jogging by, next to another incredibly handsome man that you recognized as Sergeant James ‘Bucky’ Barnes (previously the Winter Soldier). Sam Wilson, who you had met a couple of times, seemed to be trying to catch up as the two super soldiers slowed to a walk. “I mean, damn! Do you think the Captain knows they make clothes in bigger sizes? Not that I’m complaining. Who would complain about his clothes all being so very… tight?”

Jemma laughed, blushing lightly as she looked out the window. “They are rather… snug. It doesn’t look comfortable, does it?”

As Jemma finished her question, Sergeant Barnes turned his gaze toward the window, and you could swear he looked right at you. Logically, you knew that the glare on the window would make it impossible for him to see you, but it felt like you had been caught ogling. Shit. Jemma turned to you. “Did he… did he see you? Couldn’t have done, right?” 

You shook your head. “No idea how he could’ve. I certainly hope not. Awkward.”

Jemma giggled. “No, no. We’re being silly. He is handsome though. All three of them are. Definitely.”

You nodded, agreeing, before turning your attention to your food.

***

Steve slowed his pace as he approached the main building, seeing Bucky slow as well. Sam had just caught up to them, a bit out of breath, when Bucky spoke. 

“Think you have an admirer, Stevie. Or two,” he said, chuckling and nodding toward the window. 

Steve rolled his eyes. “Maybe it’s you that has the admirer. The one on the left definitely seems your type.” 

Bucky shook his head, his jaw clenching. Sam looked back and forth between the super soldiers. 

“You’re both wrong. They were checking me out. I mean, why settle?” Sam cut in, grinning. 

Bucky and Steve looked at each other, shaking their heads, before jogging toward the gym area.

“Not fair! Some of us are just heroes, no super involved. Come on guys!” Sam called, chasing after them. 

Steve hated that Bucky felt so negatively about himself. He’d made so much progress, with Steve, and even with the team. But he still undervalued himself. Steve had been working on it, would continue to work on it. Hell, he’d do anything. He was just happy to have his soulmate back. 

When Bucky had fallen from the train, Steve had thought that was the end of the line. Steve’s mark had faded, turning grayish, but hadn’t faded to the scar-like writing he knew replaced the mark when a soulmate died. He figured it would take a while, but it was still there, barely, when he went into the ice. 

When Steve had woken, in a new time, the first thing he had done was look at his chest. He looked for his mark and it was there, just under his right collar bone. It had faded to a light gray, but it still wasn’t the light whitish scar he’d expected. Directly under it was a new mark, dark and vivid, in a similar handwriting. But it was bolder, and it seemed… more rushed. “Who the hell is Bucky?”

Well, that didn’t seem promising. And oddly enough, he noticed another new mark, this one under his left collar bone. “O Captain! My Captain!” in a slanted cursive/print hybrid. That was… confusing. And vaguely dirty. Steve blushed and shook his head. He didn’t need new soulmates. He needed Bucky. 

Then he found Bucky again. Bucky didn’t know who he was, but Steve had said his words – or, word, actually. And Bucky had said Steve’s first set of new words. It was a long road, but they found their way back to each other. Things were still tense with the team, particularly between Bucky and Tony, but it was improving… slowly but surely. Tony winning his soulmate, Pepper, back – and proposing to her – had helped him mellow a bit. 

Early on, after they reconnected, Bucky had asked Steve about his other set of words. He told Bucky that he had no idea about them, that they were there when he woke up. Steve tried to reassure Bucky that he didn’t need another soulmate, just Bucky. Then Bucky showed Steve his own second set of new words. Under his left collarbone, in a now familiar cursive/print hybrid, were the words “You don’t frighten me, promise.” ending just as the scar tissue started. 

He and Bucky had discussed both phrases at length. They were sure it was the same handwriting… so it looked as though they would get a third. Steve had tried to reassure Bucky, given his words, that he wouldn’t scare their unknown third off. And if, somehow, he did… well, Steve would be with him… til the end of the line.


	2. Ch 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hazel gets visit from friends and has an unexpected encounter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just over a week, not too bad... especially considering I had not one, but two migraines this week. My work schedule is weird the next few weeks, not really giving me a block of days off for awhile. It'd be nice to be able to update this weekly... but biweekly is probably more likely. I have another (Supernatural) series I'm working on right now, as well. Not to mention one shots. And a novel I started writing a few years ago that has recaptured my attention. 
> 
> The feedback I've received on this so far has really kept me motivated to work on it though, so right now it's the main focus.
> 
> Thank you all for reading and giving me feedback. It really does mean the world to me. Here's chapter 2. I hope you like it. <3

You stood on the landing pad, bouncing slightly as you tried not to fidget. Your eyes were scanning the sky. Jemma and Fitz would be here any minute. You couldn’t believe they were able to visit so soon. Apparently, they had a long weekend off and had decided to make the trip. Guests had to be approved, but since they were both SHIELD it wasn’t a problem. Fitz was planning on using some of the time to make some upgrades to their quinjet, while you and Jemma had some girl time. 

The last six weeks had been – fun mostly. Better than you had expected. The lab was amazing. It consisted of a large, open lab space that was shared by Dr. Banner, Tony Stark, and yourself. It was nice and made it easy for them to bounce ideas off each other. Or, in Tony’s case, bounce actual objects off Bruce. 

In addition to the main lab area, you and Dr. Banner each had your own workspace jutting off the main lab, with an attached office. Stark’s office was in his private lab. You were happy with it and didn’t need a private lab all to yourself. You had plenty of room, not to mention a coffee maker. Necessary, but freaking awesome. And being able to work with Dr. Banner and Tony Stark? It was a dream come true. You had even gotten to speak with Dr. Cho about a few of your ideas. Definitely cool. 

Dr. Banner (who insisted you call him Bruce) was shy, but you had managed to bring him out of his shell a bit by asking for his help with an implant you were working on. His eyes had sparkled as he gave you suggestions on how to make the next step work better. Since then you had frequently chatted with each other about various projects. It was amazing working with him.

Tony Stark was an ass. A loveable, funny, amazingly intelligent ass, but still… an ass. You couldn’t help but like him, though. He encouraged you to run with any project that you wanted, as long as there were no murder-bots involved. He had pouted when he tried ‘bouncing’ stuff off of you in the more literal sense. You had successfully ignored him. Bruce had laughed, until Tony had switched targets back to him. Work was not dull.

Tony had ‘delegated’ some of his responsibilities to you since you started - one of which was maintaining, repairing, and upgrading Sergeant Barnes’s arm. It was something you were greatly looking forward to. Stark had been trying to get Sergeant Barnes to come in and go over the transition from Tony to you… but he kept rescheduling. The current appointment was set for Monday… it was Thursday and you were trying not to get your hopes up. At least Jemma would still be here, so you could talk to her about it after, either way. She and Fitz didn’t plan to leave until Tuesday morning. Thankfully, she had promised to keep Fitz away from the lab for Sergeant Barnes appointment. 

Speaking of Sergeant Barnes and his arm… the best part of your new position so far? Shuri. She was absolutely amazing. Definitely one of the smartest people you had ever spoken with. When Tony had mentioned you working on Barnes’ arm, you had asked who designed it. He told you about Shuri. She was the baby sister of the king of Wakanda. And she was a genius. You had messaged her straight away, not wanting to cross a line, working on tech that she created. You had hit it off right away, and now you talked daily. You had traded playlists of different music you liked to work to, done ‘tours’ of each other’s labs, you even had plans to visit her in a few weeks to work on tech together. You could not wait. 

You were pulled from your thoughts by the approaching quinjet. Finally! You ran toward it, seeing Jemma exiting and running toward you. You slammed into each other, squeeing and jumping in circles. Fitz followed at a more sensible pace, grinning at the two of you. In your distraction you didn’t notice that Sergeant Barnes and Agent Romanoff were walking away from a nearby quinjet and had stopped to watch your reunion… until you heard them laugh. Oops. You waved at them sheepishly and pulled Jemma toward the main building. Fitz followed, chuckling. 

***

Bucky turned to Nat, eyes widened slightly in shocked delight, and grinned. “That was… interesting.”

“I thought it was kinda cute,” Natasha shrugged. “Isn’t that the new doc that Tony’s been trying to get you to see?”

Bucky grunted. “Yeah, Dr. Jarrett. She seems nice I guess… not too stuffy, obviously,” he said, gesturing to the area she had just been jumping around with her friend. “I just don’t need another person poking at me. Shuri designed this arm. It would feel weird to let someone else mess with it.”

“What could it hurt to at least meet her… explain your hesitation?”

“Now you sound like Steve. Seriously. I have every intention of keeping my appointment on Monday. Maybe she’ll be so happy she’ll jump around,” Bucky added, chuckling.

“You, Barnes, are an ass.”

“Yeah, yeah.” 

***

Jemma pulled you into a hug as soon as you were away from prying eyes. You gave her a tight squeeze before turning to hug Fitz, punching his shoulder lightly when you saw he was still laughing at your embarrassment. Ass.

“I can’t believe they saw us squealing like school girls!” Jemma groaned, throwing Fitz a glare when he chuckled again. “I thought I had grown out of embarrassing myself in front of the cool kids.”

“Embarrassing? A bit. But whatever. It’s so good to see you! I need to hear about everything!”

“On that note, how about I get our stuff settled in the guestroom and you can catch up,” Fitz said.

Jemma smiled, nodding.

“Sure. Meet us in the lab?”

Fitz gave a quick nod. “See you in a bit.”

 

You were showing Jemma the specs for the implant you were working on while you sipped on your coffees. She had been giving you an update on the goings on at S.H.I.E.L.D., her concern for Daisy, and any gossip you had missed. She caught your eye and smiled into her mug. 

“So, how’s the eye candy?”

“Jemma, I’ve been busy with work.”

“Pish posh. Don’t you give me that, Hazel Jarrett. Spill! Have you met Captain America yet? Any more sightings? What about Sergeant Barnes? I see he’s still exceedingly handsome. And Ms. Romanoff? Wow. Have you caught up with Mr. Wilson at all?”

“I’ve seen the Captain around a bit,” you said with a laugh. “Sergeant Barnes, too. But, no, Jem, I haven’t met the Captain yet. I’ve seen Agent Romanoff a couple times, but that was the first time she seemed to notice me. And you know I haven’t met Sergeant Barnes. I’m starting to wonder if he’s avoiding me. Hopefully our scene out there won’t make my appointment with him even more awkward… that is if he shows this time. And Sam and I haven’t had much of a chance to really talk, with him training and going on missions… and me, you know, working.”

“Has the ‘seeing them around’ involved sweat and tight clothing?” Jemma sighed, eyes sparkling. 

“Some of it, yes. And I had to re-watch Firefly again, because my brain keeps thinking of Captain Rogers as… well… Captain Tight Pants. Which is so not how I should be thinking of him. Hell, he’s taken – and Sergeant Barnes is way hotter than me – and his soulmate. Not to mention we’re co-workers, I shouldn’t be thinking of him in that manner… or at all. But I mean, damn… Captain Rogers, the way he wears those pants just makes you wanna…” 

***

Steve walked into the lab, pausing when he heard his name. “… my brain keeps thinking of Captain Rogers as… well…” He raised his eyebrows. This was… interesting. He leaned in the door way and listened, smirking. He was surprised he hadn’t been noticed yet.

“Makes you want to what, exactly?” Steve broke in, his voice coming out a bit husky. He cleared his throat, looking back and forth between the women and enjoying their shocked expressions.

“O Captain! My Captain!”

Steve jolted. His eyes shooting to the woman who spoke. He had seen her around the base. Even noticed her staring a couple times. And maybe he had stared a few times, too. He may have joked that she was Bucky’s type, but he had to admit she was his type, too. He and Bucky had always had similar taste in women. She was all curves… more than were in fashion currently, nice smile, and hair that he imagined would spill down her back when it wasn’t tied up in a messy bun. 

But she… she said his words. Shit. Shit! He needed to talk to Bucky. 

“Oh, shit! Sorry… I… I gotta go,” Steve said, before turning and moving to leave. He dodged passed Dr. Banner, who was walking into the lab, nodding at him as he rushed out. 

***

“Was it something I said?” Dr. Banner joked as he came in, looking back at Captain Rogers’s retreating form. 

You had frozen, watching him leave, and Dr. Banner’s joke seemed to jolt you out of your trance.

“No, no I think… I think it was something I said, actually.”


	3. Ch 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hazel met her first soulmate, and it didn't go as expected. What now?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Took a bit longer than I had hoped, but here's Ch 3. A bit of angst here. 
> 
> Thank you all for reading and commenting. The feedback is amazing fuel for the muse.

Steve was pacing in the living room. He couldn’t get a lock on his feelings. He knew he felt guilty. Scared. Excited? Definitely guilty. Fuck, but he had handled that poorly. She might not even want to talk to him after this. Soulmate or not. Steve looked up, noticing Bucky. Shit. How long had he been there?

“Hey, you okay Stevie?”

Steve nodded. Then shrugged. Then smiled. It was almost a fluid motion it was so quick. “Will be. What’s up, Buck?”

Bucky studied him. He knew something was up, but he also knew that Steve would tell him when he was ready. Trying to make him talk about whatever was bugging him before he was ready would be pointless. No, Bucky wouldn’t bug Steve about it, not yet at least. “We have a mission. Shouldn’t be more than a few days. Just you, me, and Nat.”

Steve nodded. Fuck. He really shouldn’t drop this on Bucky before a mission. He also didn’t want to leave without talking to her again… trying to salvage his horrid first impression. Hell, maybe even introducing himself? He hadn’t even asked her name. Fucking hell. But no matter how much he felt the need to fix it, he wouldn’t seek her out without talking to Bucky first. His decision made, Steve went to grab his go-bag. 

*** 

Jemma sat next to you on your couch and handed you a beer. You took a long pull and looked at her, waiting for her to bring it up. 

“There could be many explanations…” Jemma started.

“Really?” you cut in, voice quiet. “Captain fucking America is my soulmate. Captain fucking Tight Pants himself. And he just… left. You saw him. He knew. He knew, and he left. Couldn’t get away from me fast enough.”

“But you said yourself, he’s taken… Sergeant Barnes is his soulmate, too. Maybe he wanted…”

“I know, and if he had come back, I might agree with you. Do you think Sergeant Barnes might be…?”

“I think it would make sense. Especially given what your other words are. It would fit him, I believe.”

You nodded. From what you knew, it would fit him. Your chest felt tight. You needed more beer. Lots and lots of beer. There was a knock on the door and Jemma perked up. You looked at her, eyes wide, before making your way to the door and looking through the peephole. You sighed, opening the door to Fitz. 

“Not the welcome I was hoping for. I went to the lab. A quite confused Dr. Banner said you left. You ladies okay?”

Jemma looked at Fitz, and shook her head as subtly as she could, mouthing ‘later’.

You walked back into the kitchen, finishing your beer before tagging another from the fridge. “Don’t you guys have a date tonight? That restaurant you’ve been looking forward to?”

“It’s okay, Haze. We can go another time,” Jemma said with a sad smile.

“No. Really. You should go, Jemma. Really, I want you to. I’m going to finish this and head to bed,” you replied, gesturing to your beer. 

“Are… are you sure? I really don’t mind…”

“I’m sure, thank you though. Y’all go have a good time.”

“I’ll text you later to check in. And I’ll see you in the morning,” Jemma said, standing. “Call me if you need anything. Really.”

“I will,” you promised, giving her a hug. You just needed a little time to yourself to process. 

You locked your door behind them as they left and leaned against it. You sighed. “F.R.I.D.A.Y., where is Captain Rogers this evening?”

“He and Sergeant Barnes have left for a mission with Agent Romanoff.”

Oh. Well crap. 

You finished the rest of your beer. It was weird, you hadn’t actually thought about what you would do if you were rejected by your soulmate. And if Bucky was your second soulmate, you would likely have another rejection in your future. Fuck. You grabbed your phone and reopened your chat with Shuri. 

H: Hey, you know how I was going to visit the end of next month?

…

S: Yeah? Please don’t say you can’t make it.

H: No, nothing like that. I was wondering if you would be up for a visitor a bit sooner than that?

S: Uh, duh! Of course! Oh, we’re going to have so much fun! When can I expect you?

H: I was thinking I would leave Tuesday, if it’s okay with Stark… and if that works for you…

S: Of course! I am so excited! I’ll send you my travel playlist!

H: Thank you! I’m excited, too!

You sighed, emailing Tony your change of plans. Honestly, you’d rather leave now, but you didn’t want to cut your visit with Jemma short. Unless…

H: If you’d be okay with a bit more company, I could leave in the morning. My friends Leo Fitz and Jemma Simmons are visiting. I know they would *love* to see your lab…

…

S: SHIELD agents? Really? I’ll have to check. Hold on…

H: If it’s a problem, no worries. Tuesday will be here soon enough.

…

S: My dearest brother said it would be okay! So tomorrow?

 

You grinned. 

H: Tomorrow! Can’t wait!

You updated your email to Tony before texting Jemma. It had only been a few seconds and your phone rang. Jemma.

“Hey…”

“Are you serious?! We can go to Wakanda?!” 

You laughed, hearing Fitz saying something similar, with no less exuberance. 

“Yes. We can go tomorrow. I take it you’re interested?”

“Uh, yes! I’m so excited!”

“You guys enjoy your meal. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Yes, food, right. Oh, I can’t wait! See you in the morning!”

You shook your head, smiling as you refilled your water bottle and started turning off lights. Your phone chimed with an email. Tony had given you the okay and wanted to make sure you weren’t planning to jump ship. You replied to him, assuring him you just wanted to visit to go over tech, with no plans on staying. 

You hesitated, then typed out an email to Bucky. You explained briefly that you were heading out of town and needed to reschedule his appointment – which would likely need to be rescheduled anyway with his mission. You told him you’d message him when you returned so you could set up another time to meet. After reading through it, making sure it sounded professional, you hit send.

Sighing you crawled into bed, trying not to think about the look on Steve’s face when you said his words. And “O’ Captain! My Captain!”? Really? You almost felt sorry for him, having it permanently on his body. Almost. You hugged your pillow, rolling over. Well… maybe this didn’t have to mean that a long-term relationship was impossible. I mean, there had to be other people that were rejected by their soulmates, right? Certainly, you weren’t alone in that. So, you could start dating other rejects. You blinked back tears, rolling over again before flipping your pillow. It took time, but you finally found sleep.

***

Tony looked up from his phone. Something felt off. 

“Bruce, have you seen Jarrett today?”

Bruce looked up, sighing. “For a minute. It was weird. I came in, and Cap was running off, and she seemed… off. Then she and Dr. Simmons left right after. Why, what’s up?”

“She moved up her Wakanda trip. She’s leaving in the morning.”

Bruce studied Tony. “Well… that’s weird, but it could be nothing.”

Tony nodded absentmindedly. “Sure, sure… thanks Bruce.”

***

Steve walked to the front of the quinjet, checking in on Nat and Bucky. He was having trouble keeping still. If they had noticed his pacing they hadn’t said anything. He couldn’t stop thinking about her. With her being in the lab, he figured she must be the new doctor that Bucky was supposed to see for his arm. Steve cleared his throat. “So, uh, have either of you met Dr. Jarrett yet?”

Bucky glanced back at him with a questioning look. Nat smiled. “I haven’t met her, yet. But Bucky and I saw her greeting her friend earlier. It was adorable.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. They were jumping around in circles. Saw us watching them and fled,” Natasha explained, chuckling. “Cute.”

“It was definitely interesting,” Bucky added, studying Steve. “Why do you ask?”

“I, uh, ran into someone in the lab earlier, and I was just wondering if it was her.”

Nat described you to Steve, and Bucky watched as he nodded.

“That’s her, then. I didn’t… get a chance to introduce myself. She was with someone.”

“Probably the same friend we saw her meeting,” Nat said as she glanced at Bucky.

Steve met Bucky’s stare. He forced a small smile and Bucky squinted at him. Fuck. Bucky shook his head and glanced at Natasha. “Yeah, must be,” Bucky mumbled. He looked to Steve, studying him before he continued. “I wonder if her friend visiting is why she canceled our appointment.”

Steve tensed, his eyes shooting back to Bucky. “She… she canceled your appointment? That’s odd. She seemed to be pressing for it.”

Steve could feel Nat’s eyes on him as he held Bucky’s stare. He was trying to stay calm, but the thought that he could’ve messed things up for Bucky as well had guilt overwhelming him. 

“Got an email. Apparently, she had a trip moved up. There weren’t any guarantees I would’ve made it with us having this mission, though. So, it works for me. I’ll set something up with her when she gets back.”

Steve tried not to think it… but it forced its way through his mind. 

If she comes back.


	4. Ch 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hazel returns home and it's more eventful than she expected...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's Ch 4. I read it through a few times, but my beta is still unavailable... and unfortunately will be for the foreseeable future, so all mistakes are mine. Also, I'm sick with a head-cold from Hades and it makes editing more challenging. 
> 
> Enough whining. 
> 
> Hope y'all enjoy this chapter. Thank you so much for the feedback and comments. Really the best muse fuel there is. You rock. <3

“Is that what I think it is?”

You looked up at Shuri’s question and followed her gaze to where your tank top had slipped as you worked, exposing your left collarbone and the words there. Crap. “If you think they’re my words, you wouldn’t be wrong,” you replied, trying to keep your voice even.

“Has… has anyone said them yet?” 

Her voice was soft and unsure, and you held back your grimace, not wanting her to feel bad. “Not this set, no,” you showed her your right collarbone. “This set, yes. It didn’t go well. At all. I’m guessing the second set won’t go well, either.”

Shuri gaped at you. “You have two sets?! You’re the third person I’ve met with two sets! And it’s supposed to be super rare!” Shuri thought about it for a minute, her face falling. “Wait, who said your words?”

“From the look on your face I’m guessing you already have an idea,” you took a breath, that came out more like a sigh. “Captain Rogers said my words last week, and when I said his, well… he ran. Haven’t seen or heard from him since.”

“Your other ones, they must be…”

“Yeah,” you sighed. “That’s what I figured. I haven’t met him, so I can’t be sure, but I think so.”

“You know, I know what his words are…” Shuri started.

“Spoilers,” you interrupted, shaking your head. “I’ll find out when I say them.”

Shuri looked at you a moment before nodding and, thankfully, changing the subject. “I hate that you’re leaving so soon. You have to promise to visit again.”

You grinned at her. “Of course. And I hate that I’m leaving, too. But Tony is emailing me twice a day asking when I’ll be back. And when I talked to Jemma this morning she was shocked that I was still here,” you grimaced, remembering the censure in her voice. “She and Fitz send their thanks,” you added. They had left almost a week ago, and you knew that you had overstayed when you heard Jemma’s exasperation. 

“They already thanked me so many times,” Shuri grinned. “It was fun having them here. Fitz is a blast. And Jemma is so nice.”

“They both adored you, and they were so impressed,” you said, smiling as she ducked her head. “Thank you for letting me stay, too. I… I really needed it, and although I work with a couple geniuses every day, you out genius the best of them. It’s amazing, and inspiring. Not to mention impressive. I hope I was at least a bit helpful.”

Shuri shook her head and grinned. “More than a bit, I promise. And thank you! It’s nice to have someone around who is so passionate about this stuff.” She hesitated. “Any other questions about, uh, Bucky’s arm?”

“Not yet, and if anything comes up, you know I’ll call you.”

“You’d better call, questions or not!” Shuri replied, pointing at you.

You grinned. “I’ll text every day. I need to hear how your meme war with Tony’s protégé is going. And I’ll call, too. Promise.”

“If Peter hears you call him Tony’s protégé…”

“It’ll be our secret,” you laughed, squeezing her shoulder.

“Oh, before you go you should check out these suit modifications I’ve been working on!” Shuri exclaimed, grabbing your hand and pulling you behind her. Just like that she pulled you out of your soulmate-induced funk.

***

The explosion wasn’t huge, but it had left you briefly stunned. And… mildly wounded. Tony had apologized profusely, before muttering to himself about recalculations and wandering off down the hall. Bruce had looked at the lacerations on you face and left arm and tried to convince you to go to the med-bay area, but you were stubborn and wanted to stay in the lab. The little area Tony had blown up had cordoned itself off after the explosion and seemed to be simultaneously putting out fires and pulling the smoke out through the exhaust system. You had the distinct feeling, given the crazily efficient protocol, that this wasn’t the lab’s first explosion. It probably wouldn’t be the last, either.

You had just made it back from Wakanda last night. It seemed fitting that your first day back in the lab it exploded. I mean, of course it did. You wondered what could possibly be next, but you really didn’t want to know. You just wanted to stitch yourself up, dress your wounds, and get back to work. 

Your entire left side hurt, but you’d dealt with worse. You sighed. Patience. It was not your strong suit. Bruce had numbed and cleaned the gashes on your forearm and your cheek, but then he had gone to hunt down thinner sutures than the ones in the med-kit, he want to try and prevent scarring on your face. So, seeing as the wound on your left forearm didn’t need any other supplies, you picked up the suture kit and prepared to attempt to close your wound. You saw movement in your peripheral vison, and jumped, setting the suture kit back down. 

“I didn’t mean to frighten you,” Bucky said, putting his hands up as if to show he was unarmed.

You hesitated. Holy shit! Holy. Shit. “You don’t frighten me, promise.” You replied softly, watching him closely for reaction. You saw his eyes widen and his lips twitch up at the corners. “I probably shouldn’t have been attempting to suture myself,” you continued, doing your best to ignore the elephant in the room. “Wouldn’t be the first time, but I don’t think I would’ve made much progress one handed, anyway.”

“Are you…” Bucky started, hesitating as he looked you over.

“Your soulmate? It would appear so…” you said, shooting him an apologetic smile.

“I was actually going to ask if you were okay…”

Bruce walked back into the room, supplies in hand. Bucky stopped talking and tensed, his eyes still on you. He watched you for a moment before his eyes cut to Bruce, and he left without saying another word. Bruce looked at you in confusion. “Do I smell or something?” he asked, dumbfounded, sniffing himself. “You’d tell me, right Hazel?” 

His reaction forced a chuckle out of you. “Yes, of course I would tell you, Bruce. You don’t smell, at least not bad. You smell like tea, and books, and peppermint. Nothing bad at all. More comforting than anything. You just happen to walk in at… awkward moments. Promise. I can manage the stitches, do you mind holding the mirror?” you asked, gesturing to your face. He hesitated, then nodded, scooting his stool in front of you and lifting the mirror so you could see. You were trying to ignore the overwhelming feeling of rejection. You were two for two. Both of your soulmates had fled when you exchanged your words. 

Captain Rogers, Steve… he was your soulmate, you could call him by his first name, at least in your head. You wondered if he was avoiding you. To be fair, he had gotten called out on a mission with the team later the same afternoon you had met. But he had gotten back before you and you hadn’t heard from him – no messages, nothing. At least it wouldn’t be hard for him to avoid you, or for you to avoid him in kind. 

Bucky, on the other hand… you wouldn’t be able to avoid each other. Stark had made it clear that you would be the one to upgrade and maintain his arm – or repair it if necessary. You had really been looking forward to it. You even had a few ideas you wanted to try out, especially after your visit with Shuri. Now you were wondering if you could convince Stark to take back the assignment. 

You finished stitching your face and looked at your arm. “Think you can stitch this one for me? Not easy to do one handed.”

Bruce smiled, picking up the hemostats and sutures. “I must say, I’m impressed. I don’t think I’ve seen anyone suture their own face before.” 

You smiled, wincing slightly when your smile tugged the fresh sutures.

“Sorry,” Bruce muttered, looking back to your arm.

You shook your head. “It’s okay, Bruce. Thank you for doing this. And it isn’t the first time I’ve had to suture myself, but the help is always appreciated.”

Bruce paused and looked up at you. You could see him forming questions and discarding them. He seemed to study you for another minute before he spoke. “I know we don’t know each other well… but I know Dr. Simmons left again, and,” he cleared his throat, eyes darting around the room. “If you need someone to talk to, I’m here.”

You put your hand over his. “Thank you, Bruce. Truly. I think I’m more at the mull and fester stage of things. But I’ll keep you in mind if I get to the talking stage of things. Promise.” 

Bruce nodded and continued to stitch your arm.


	5. Ch 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hazel's soulmates try and clear things up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your awesome comments, and for continuing to read this fic. It means more to me than you know.
> 
> I didn't think I'd be able to post this today... I'm in the path of hurricane Michael and will probably lose power before too long. Hopefully not, but last time a hurricane came through we lost power for almost a week. But I still have power now, so here's chapter 5.
> 
> I hope y'all like it. Your feedback feeds the muse.
> 
> Stay safe if you're in the path of this storm.  
> <3

          Bucky found Steve in the gym, pounding on a heavy bag. He wasn’t sure how to broach the subject, but he knew he had to. Hell, he wanted to bring Steve with him, see if he was right and she would say his words, too. He hoped like hell she did. Bucky wanted her. He didn’t even try to understand it. It just was. She seemed so sweet, soft spoken. But Bucky could tell there was more. He knew he’d have his hands full with the two of them. He hoped he would, anyway.

 

          Steve turned and noticed Bucky heading his way. Bucky saw Steve’s surprise, and he tried to school his features – reigning in his smile a bit. “Hey, Buck. What’s up?”

 

          Bucky hesitated, taking in Steve’s guarded expression. “I, uh… I just had… well…” Bucky took a deep breath. Fuck it. “I met her, Stevie. Our _her_.”

 

          Steve’s eyes widened. “I… Bucky… Shit. I need to…”

 

          Fuck. Maybe that was too blunt? “I know, you need to meet her,” Bucky cut him off. “She’s… I can’t wait for you to meet her.”

 

          Steve sighed. “Buck, I… If… If it’s the same _her_ I…” Steve braced. “I already met her.”

 

          Bucky’s head jerked back. “What?! When?! Why didn’t you tell me?!”

 

          Steve flinched. “I know I should’ve. It was… last week,” Steve continued, flinching again when Bucky’s mouth dropped open in shock. “It was right before we left on that mission. You have to understand… I didn’t want to drop it on you right before a mission. And when we got back I got… scared. I felt guilty for keeping it from you, even though I had good intentions. I was scared you wouldn’t understand my reaction, or me keeping it to myself. And then I got scared she wouldn’t forgive me, and I didn’t want to ruin this for you,” Steve rambled desperately.

 

          Bucky started to nod, then stopped and his eyes narrowed. “Wait, what does she have to forgive you for?”

 

          Steve looked down sheepishly, rubbing his hand on the back of his neck. “Well, when she said my words? I was shocked. And my first thought was that I had to get to you, to tell you. And I… ran.”

 

          Bucky looked stunned. Then he burst into laughter, startling Steve. Steve watched his soulmate, wondering if he should be concerned, or just enjoy the show. It was rare Bucky laughed like this. “You,” Steve started, a smile pulling at his lips. “You okay, Buck?”

 

          “The…” Buck started, the laugh petering out. “The two of us, Stevie. I swear.”

 

          Steve looked at Bucky, waiting for him to explain fully.

 

          “I… She said my words, and I left without saying anything to come find you,” Bucky finished, looking at Steve. He seemed to sober. “Shit, what do we do now?”

 

          “Well, I think we should go talk to her, yeah?”

 

          “Yeah,” Bucky confirmed, nodding. “Yeah, definitely.”

 

***

 

          You perked up as the next song on your playlist started. “Hey, T.G.I.F., mind turning this up for me?”

 

          “Of course, Dr. Hazel.”

 

          “Like I’ve told you before, Hazel is fine. You don’t have to be so proper with me.” 

 

          “Yes, Dr. Hazel.”

 

          You rolled your eyes with a smile. The volume of the song increased, and you started dancing a bit, your wrench moving with the beat of the song. Bruce had left for lunch with Natasha. You were still intimidated by her. You could count the number of words she had said to you since you met her on one hand. You weren’t sure if she hated you, or if that was just… her. Tony still hadn’t made it back to the lab, so you were enjoying having the space to yourself.

 

          The music was helping you block out your thoughts. You didn’t want to mope about being rejected again. You knew that you would do enough of that tonight when you were alone in your room with your demons. For now, you were content to dance it out, work, and leave your personal issues for later. You got so distracted by the music and your work, you didn’t hear the doors to the lab sliding open.

 

          You heard someone clear their throat and you jumped, turning quickly. Shit. Steve and Bucky stood in the doorway to the lab. Bucky was looking at you with a small smirk, his eyes twinkling in amusement. Steve was looking at his feet, his hand on the back of his neck, but you could see that he was smiling. Double shit. “Uh, sorry, thought I was alone.” F.R.I.D.A.Y. turned the music down as you started to speak, and you made a mental note to thank her later.

 

          “Nothing to apologize for, Doll,” Bucky said. “Promise,” he added with a wink.

 

          You blinked. Holy fuck. Just like that your panties wanted to hit the floor. You felt your face flush. “Hazel,” you replied, your voice coming out breathy. You inhaled sharply. “My… my name’s Hazel.”

 

          Bucky’s lips twitched as he nodded. “I’m Bucky, this is Steve,” he replied, the back of his hand tapping Steve’s chest. Steve looked up at you, meeting your eyes. He smiled at you fully and you felt your cheeks heat again. Fuck.

 

          “Hi, Hazel. Really sorry I, uh…” Steve looked to Bucky, who shrugged, before turning back to you. “Sorry I just left before. I went to find Bucky, and I meant for us to come back, but then we had a mission, and…”

 

          “And I left to go get Stevie,” Bucky added. “I didn’t know he had already met you. We… hadn’t really had much of a chance to talk alone since the mission,” Bucky explained, covering for Steve. “Sorry if we hurt you,” he added, his voice a bit softer as he studied your tense posture.

 

          “Yeah,” Steve agreed. “Really sorry, Hazel. I… I should’ve handled it better, but I was so… well, I wasn’t expecting it.”

 

          You sighed and cracked a small smile. “Well, that isn’t exactly what I expected to say in response to hearing my words,” you said, gesturing to your right collarbone. You let out a small giggle. “Can’t imagine what you thought, seeing those words as your mark.”

 

          Bucky grinned at you. “He blushes every time he reads them. We had a few theories, some more…”

 

          “Inappropriate than others,” Steve finished with a blush.

 

          “Well, to be fair that wasn’t the most appropriate conversation you walked into,” you said, holding his gaze.

 

          “Wait, what did I miss? Steve, you little shit, what did you leave out?”

 

          “Uh…” Steve looked at Bucky, then at his feet. “They were talking about… my pants.”

 

          Bucky bursts out laughing, and Steve glanced at him with a small smile. “Holy shit, Stevie. What were they saying?”

         

          You grinned watching their interaction. “I’m not sure how much he heard, but it started with how blessedly _tight_ his pants are, and kinda devolved into me starting to tell Jemma what him wearing his pants like that makes me want to do…”

 

          Bucky doubled over laughing and Steve blushed even harder, muttering ‘jerk’ under his breath to Bucky. When Bucky had calmed, he looked back up at you, your grin widening his own. “So, that explains Steve’s words. He told me he said something like…”

 

          “Makes you want to what, exactly?” you quoted with a blush of your own. “Which I never did tell him.”

 

          Steve jerk his head in your direction, eyes wide. “You… I…” he stuttered and shook his head.

 

          “When you decide to share, I hope you invite me,” Bucky chuckled, watching as Steve gaped.

 

          “Promise,” you said, sharing a smile with Bucky. Steve just looked back and forth between the two of you, shocked.

 

          “Don’t look so scandalized, Stevie. She is our soulmate, after all,” Bucky teased, nudging Steve’s shoulder.

 

          Steve shook his head at Bucky before turning back to you with a small smile. “So, would you let us make you dinner tonight, Hazel? To try and make up for handling everything so poorly?”

 

          Bucky nodded, looking from Steve to you. “That might be a start, yeah? And it would give us a chance to get to know each other?”

 

          You looked between your soulmates. You wanted to say yes right away, but the little voice in your head held the words back. What if once they got to know you, they didn’t want you? That rejection would be even worse than the first. But if you said no, you would never find out what could be. Your decision made you took a deep breath and nodded.

 

          Steve’s eyes lit up. Bucky grinned. “Is that a yes?”

 

          “Yes,” you said, giggling softly at the excitement on their faces. “When should I…”

 

          Steve looked at Bucky, who shrugged. “Is six good?”

 

          You glanced at the clock and winced. “I still have quite a bit of work left to do today. Could we make it seven?”

         

          Steve nodded quickly, glancing at Bucky who lifted his chin in agreement. “Seven’s perfect.”

 

          “Perfect,” you responded softly, excitement and anxiety filling you. “I can’t wait.”


	6. Ch 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time for the first dinner with your soulmates.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so very sorry it has taken me this long to post. The depression demon has me and it's been difficult for me to write lately. I'm not entirely happy with this chapter, but I think it does what it needs to do. 
> 
> Thank you all for reading and commenting. I hope you're doing well. <3

            Pushing your door closed you toed off your boots. You grabbed some ibuprofen and a glass of water and headed toward the bathroom. You had made sure to leave yourself enough time to shower and change before you were supposed to meet Steve and Bucky for dinner. You were _really_ trying not to get your hopes up, but despite their initial reaction to meeting you, you were excited to get to know them both. Hopefully it wouldn’t be too awkward.

 

             You had texted Jemma as soon as they had left the lab. It seemed like she was almost more excited than you were. She made suggestions on what you should wear, and made you promise to text when you were getting ready. You messaged her quickly, letting her know you were home and you didn’t have much time to get ready, before setting your phone on the bathroom counter.

 

             You put your hair up, so it wouldn’t get wet, and took the fastest shower you could – while being careful with your left arm and the stitches on your face. After drying off you took a minute to look at the array of bruises on your left side and put ointment on your stitches. When you finished you found yourself in the closet trying to figure out what to wear. Jemma wanted you to go all out, but you wanted to be comfortable if it was possible. Jeans and a top seemed a bit too casual while the dress that Jemma suggested was _way_ too formal. You settled for your favorite maxi dress… it was a black sundress with little flowers on it, and the empire waist cut was flattering. Bonus? It was comfy. 

 

             You let your hair down and ran your fingers through it a bit. After you touched up your makeup you picked up your phone. Snapping a quick mirror selfie, you sent it to Jemma, asking if you looked okay. Almost immediately she responded, saying you looked gorgeous – and to go make your soulmates grovel. You sent her a kissy face, and plugged your phone in, leaving it by your bed. You looked at your alarm clock and tensed. It was time. You slipped on your boots, took one final look in the mirror, and grabbed one of your nicer bottles of wine out of the kitchen.

            

             It had taken less time than you thought to get to their apartment, and you had made it to their door with a few minutes to spare. Fuck. Now you just had to convince yourself to knock. You paced a bit, trying to calm the nervousness that was attempting to overwhelm you. You could do this. With one more deep breath, you turned and knocked before you could change your mind.

 

             Bucky swung the door open with a grin and froze when he saw you. You fidgeted when he didn’t say anything, or move to let you in. He was just staring. “Buck, is it her?” you heard Steve call from inside, and you watched Bucky jump slightly, before shaking himself and opening the door further. “Yeah,” Bucky called over his shoulder, before softening his voice and turning back to you. You noticed a pink tinge on his cheeks. “You look amazing, Hazel. Sorry… I just… you were there, and you look… well… sorry about that. Kitchen is this way,” he added, before turning you and leading you inside. You hoped he didn’t notice you blush at his reaction.

 

            Their apartment was homey, lots of pictures, a big leather sectional couch with a few pillows and multiple blankets draped over the back. The kitchen was state of the art, of course, and looked like it got a lot of use. Steve turned from the stove to greet you as you entered but stilled when he saw you. You were starting to wonder if you were too dressed up. He recovered faster than Bucky had, and smiled at you. “Hazel, thank you for joining us. The spaghetti is almost finished, would you like something to drink?”

 

             “I brought this,” you replied, holding out the bottle to him.

 

             “Nice. Should we open this now, or with dinner?”

 

             “Probably best to wait for food, yeah?” Bucky asked looking at you.

 

             “That’s…” you tried to keep your voice from wavering. “That’s probably a good idea.”

 

              Steve smiled, turning back to the food. Bucky gave you a little smirk. “What can I get for you until then?”

 

              “Water?”

 

              “Sure,” Bucky replied with a wink, moving around Steve to the fridge.

 

              When he handed you the glass, his fingers brushed yours and it was all you could do not to drop it. His touch made you feel all fluttery. You wondered what it would feel like elsewhere. You noticed him watching you and realized you hand been staring at the spot he had touched. Oops. “Thanks,” you said belatedly, taking a small sip from the glass and hoping it would help to clear your head.

 

              Bucky smiled at you with an odd mixture of amusement and what looked like desire. “Want to sit down?” He led you to the table, pulling out your chair for you. You sat and turned so you could still see the kitchen.

 

            “Buck, do you mind grabbing the garlic bread out of the oven?” you heard Steve call from the stove.

 

           “Sure,” he called back, before turning to you. “Be right back.”

 

            You used the time to yourself to take a couple deep breaths. Was everyone this nervous on their first date with their soulmates? Or was it because you thought you’d been rejected? Or maybe because there were two of them, and they already knew each other… had a life together. What if you didn’t fit into it?

 

***

 

             “I don’t remember getting this nervous on dates,” Bucky whispered as he opened the oven.

 

             Steve chuckled softly. “That’s because you didn’t. You charmed them all without a second thought. But this is our third, this is Hazel… it would be odd if you weren’t nervous.”

 

             “Are you?” Bucky asked, slicing the garlic bread and putting it on a serving dish.

 

             “Very,” Steve huffed out. “I don’t want to fuck this up.”

 

***

 

             “I’m nervous, too, if it helps,” you said, entering the kitchen. Your thoughts had started to get away from you sitting alone at the table, so you had headed back into the kitchen, overhearing their whispered conversation. You watched as they both froze and turned to look at you. “Sorry, couldn’t help but overhear. I was feeling a bit lonely. I certainly didn’t mean it interrupt. I can…” you gestured behind you.

 

             “No,” Steve spoke first and seemed surprised that he had. “Please don’t go anywhere. This is obviously an awkward situation… made more so by the way Bucky and I reacted to you initially. I’m sorry for that, truly. But make no mistake, we want you here. We want to get to know you. We – I… I’d really like you to stay.”

 

             “I just…” you hesitated, looking between them. “You both are already… and I’m… what if I’m not… what if you don’t…” You stumbled over your words… your worries and insecurities tumbling out.

 

             “Hey,” Bucky soothed, moving toward you. He only hesitated a moment before pulling you to him. You turned your head to rest your right cheek on his chest as he wrapped his arms around you. “We’ve been waiting for you,” he murmured. “I can’t tell you how many times we’ve talked about you… daydreaming about what you’d be like. And, just saying, you’re already better than anything I could _ever_ come up with.”

 

             You ducked your head to hide your blush, glancing up at Steve who had moved closer. “Really?” you asked, your voice slightly muffled by Bucky’s shirt.

 

             “Absolutely,” Steve replied, his voice gruff.  “The last thing we want is for you to feel left out, or unwanted. Darlin’ you are so _very_ fuckin’ wanted. Trust me. Us. We are so happy that you’re here with us. Let’s open the bottle you brought, eat some food, and try to relax a bit. Yeah?”

 

             You nodded against Bucky’s chest. It was odd how comfortable you felt being close to them. “Yeah, I’d like that,” you gave him a small smile – careful not to pull your stitches, as you moved back from Bucky a bit. Steve wrapped his arm around your shoulders, leaning in to kiss the side of your head.

 

             “Good, that’s good,” he sighed against your hair.

 

             “Well, sounds like a plan,” Bucky agreed, smiling at you both. “Let’s eat.”

 

***

 

             Dinner was delicious. And after your mild freak out things actually felt less awkward instead of more. They had you sit at the head of the table, Bucky on one side and Steve on the other. They asked you about yourself and answered your questions in turn. They talked a little about growing up together in the city. It was taboo at the time, them being soulmates. They kept their relationship quiet, dating and whatnot despite being together. They didn’t seem to like the various labels, and you didn’t care for them either – you’d always just said that you were attracted to people for who they were and not their gender.

 

             Bucky refilled your wineglasses as Steve escorted you to the couch. Again, they had you between them. The wine and little touches were making you think about other times they could have you between them… with much less clothing. You felt yourself blush, ready to blame the wine if asked about it.

 

             “So, when did my words show up?” you asked after Steve explained his two sets of words from Bucky.

 

             “They were there when I woke up, too. After they pulled me out of the ice, I mean,” he touched his chest. “It wasn’t until I found Bucky again that I really understood what they meant – us having a third.”

 

             “I… I think I noticed not long after they showed up…” Bucky started, his eyes were unfocused and a small frown formed on his lips. “I didn’t understand what it meant, not that I remember anyway, but I noticed the difference enough to try and keep them hidden.” He looked at you, and the pain you saw in his eyes was overwhelming. You brought your hand to his cheek and felt him nuzzle into your touch. “And when I got out, I knew I needed to keep you safe, even though I didn’t know who you were.” Steve reached over you, his hand resting on Bucky’s leg. “Even from me… I knew that you _should_ be scared of me,” he took a deep breath. “Finding Steve again helped… and Shuri – she did more for me than I can ever begin to repay. Between the two of them, they made me feel like it was safe… safe to hope for you.”  

            

             Steve stood, pulling Bucky into a hug before reaching and pulling you to them as well. The mini group hug should feel awkward, but it doesn’t. You make room for each other easily, as if you had been doing it for years. You took a deep breath, relaxing into them. “I hoped for you, too.”


End file.
